The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-04-21
OUR oosrL1EsT LUxURIEs.


What the Figures of the Internal Revenue
Teach in Regard to Our Drink and
smoke Bill
Il will be interesting to all readers to
know that, while demagogueS continue
to complain about the sufferings OF
Labor. the consumption OF luxuries in
almost every particular is greater than
it was enc or two years ago. and in most
classes of expenditure greater than it
ever was in the times called most pros
porous. The dry figures OF the Internal
revenue report. when examined. yield
this and much other information.
1t appears that the consumption of
beer increased 1924, $50 barrels The
consumption in 1885 was greater than
ever before. and, adding the officially
reported increase. it appears that no less
than 642, eco 900 gallons of beer were
consumed last year. The population is
over 60, 600 600, but the consumption for
the year ending June 30 must be reckoned
upon the mean population for that year,
which was about SO, 257, 900 On that
basis the consumption of beer appears 20
have been 10 80 gallons for every inhab-
liant, babies included.
Considering that large part o. tho
population does not consume bear at
all. this seems to imply enormous
conSuinnton to those who'd :, and yet,
since those who consume beer at all
pint daily, they would at that rate get
rid of % gallons each. Apparently the
consumption Is about equivalent 80
a pint day for half the adult popu-
lation.
The increase in the consumption Of
whiskey was 1,606, los gallons, which
makes the consumption for the year
7O,763,O1 e4llons or 119 gallons Per
capita That is much more than was
consumed liz the years OF depression the
fiscal years 1875 and 1879, when the tax
was the same that it is now. ut it is
mu II below the consumption OF 1888 or
1854, VIXEN the quantity was 1.41 and AZ
gallons per capita
The incte ease in the consumption OF
beer, which has risen from seven gallons
to nta rly eleven gallons since -o-9,
accounts for some dirninution IN the use
of spirits. and probably the rapid spread
of prohibition at the South has affected
the consumption still more.
Fifteen years ago, when the tax was
only so cents per gallon, the consump-
ton ranged between IL and two gal
Ions per capita,
The increase in consumption of to-
bacco in various forms has been remark
able. but especially in the least healthy
of all forms. Snuff-using, it may be
] remarked, is on the decline; 1876, 747
pounds less were used last year than the
y
manufactured tobacco, for smoking and
chewing increased IL ,010, STA pounds,
reaching 191 ,023, 663 pounds, or 1922
| pounds per capita, which is considerably
| in excess of the consumption in any
| previous year.
Prior to 1870 the quantity consumed
| was from l to 2 pounds; in 1870 it rose
to 2.39, and until 1879 averaged about
$50; then it rose in 1880 to 2.75, in 1882
| to 800, and has been above 3 pounds
| ever since, But the increase in this
| form of tobacco would have been greater
but for the increase in the consumption
of cigars and cigarettes.
The number of cigars consumed in
| creased last year Isl, 925, S55, making
a total consumption of 3,510, 1872, 539, OF
59.2 per capita.
just twenty years ago the consumption
was 1912 yearly; in 1870 it rose to 80
in 1875 to 1879, and then declined a little
| with the hard times to 40.5 IL 1873,
but in 1881 it rose to 52.6. reaching els
| in 1884, and declined to $50 IN 1896, but
has now ,isen again to 592.
| Thus the consumption is sfecs
lower than the creates. yet recorded
and there is some tea-'n to Ccuo.
whether this small decrease het...t1ls
the pr ssure of hard times because he
consumption of cigarette has g--a.iy
incre sod. Last year alone the incrta c
was 252. 212, 112, or about % per cent.
making 1910, 556 512 in all, or PAL per
capita.
In 1865 there was q small consume
ton, but practically none officially -
corded in the years 1S66-1S69. In 1916
it rose to 4 per capita, and in 1876
just ten years ago, rose to IL per capita
But that was only the beginning; il
1880 it had risen to 50 per capita, II
1884 to 16.1. IL 1885 TO 1873, and now
averages 22.1 per capita.
OF the influence CT this change upor
health doubtless physicians may have
som ething TO say, but considerable III
crease in the use of tobacco il othel
forms Is evidently prevented by the
manufacture and use o: cigarette
whether that change be beneficial tt
heaI-E or not,
Il remains to add that, supposine
cigar to average only five cents each
and cigarettes twenty cents a package
tobacco dollar per pound in retail
forms, beer five cents a glass, ant
spirits five cents for haE a gil. prizes
which are certainly not as high as thos
| pail by most consumers, the cost o
these articles to the people of thi
cau II. is over 81, lS9, 600, 0Q0. or sos
for every inhahitant This burden i
borne by about 10000, 900 wage-earners
hom eger, and for them it averages $50. 4
ye,.r::y.
:. the money that trade unions hav
aided or ever will add to the wages o
labor will not equal half the sum Spen
the con 2mpuon OF liquor alone, whic
cost them much over $500, 900, 000.-IN
I. Tribune.
Brother Gardner's Wholesome Phi1csoph!
The great trouble wild average hi